


The Dorm Chaperones

by She_sees_in_the_dark



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona Series, The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
Genre: Absent Parents, Adult Supervision, Adults being Sane (because the teens won't), Adults doing dangerous things, Akihiko just wants to protect his friends, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Aragaki Shinjiro Lives, Attempted Kidnapping, Attempted Murder, Children doing dangerous things, Crossover, Dark, Dark Hour (Persona 3), Dojhima is a badass, Dojhima is trying, Dojhima needs Coffee, Everyone else is trying Dojhima's patience., Faith as a counter to Magic, Female Persona 3 Protagonist and Male Persona 3 Protagonist are Twins, Fix-It of Sorts, Grief, Having Faith, Ken needs a hug (and a slap), Magic, Main Character Survival, Main Charecter Death, Micheal Carpenter Knows Things, Micheal Carpenter has an interesting life, Micheal Carpenter is Patient, Micheal Carpenter is a badass (but don't swear around him), Micheal and Dojhima have Personas, Micheal is still a Knight of the Cross, Minor Character(s), Mitsuro is our reigning Queen, Multi, Nanako may save the world through sheer cuteness, Persona 3 Portable, Persona 3 Spoilers, Protective Dojhima, Protective Michael, Protective P3 Main Characters, Saving the World, Shadows (Persona Series), Shinji Needs a Hug, Suicidal Thoughts, Swearing, Swearing is discouraged, Tartarus P3, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Team Feels, Team as Family, Teenage Drama, Teenagers, The Velvet Room (Persona Series), Things that happen when Harry Dresden is in Chicago, Yukari is a bitch sometimes, surrogate parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:00:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23267356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/She_sees_in_the_dark/pseuds/She_sees_in_the_dark
Summary: Leaving a large band of teenagers alone without at least having an adult who can provide assistance, break up fights, and tell someone to knock off their stupid antagonistic behavior is dangerous. Doing it with armed teenagers whose power may be the only hope of saving the world is a communal death-wish. The problem is finding adults who can actually understand what is happening.They find two adults with Personas, eventually-- a Policeman on indefinite personal leave and a carpenter from the other side of the world with an interesting broadsword. Neither knows these kids, but they're going to have to learn fast-- the world is ending, and it may be difficult to say what can be saved, what must be sacrificed, and what can be pulled from the rubble. Everyone has their demons, some more literal than others, and the Twins have more power than they know what to do with, but will it be enough?
Relationships: Aigis/Persona 3 Protagonist, Aragaki Shinjiro/Female Persona 3 Protagonist, Charity Carpenter/Michael Carpenter, Kirijo Mitsuru/Sanada Akihiko, Persona 3 Protagonist/Takeba Yukari
Comments: 28
Kudos: 31





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> Micheal Carpenter doesn't get enough love, and Dojhima never gets a break. He won't get one here either. This is what happens when I get bored, people-- The Dresden Files rams full speed into Persona. 
> 
> This won't update as fast as my other work, but I hope you like it just the same.

“Since the…. Incident several years ago on the night of the 4th of October, we’ve been trying to find adults with personas to supervise the team.” The man said, sliding a file across the table. Dojhima flipped it open, gave it a cursory glance, and shut it again.

He’d already been briefed on most of this. The Dark Hour—and it was a true relief to have that explained—the Evokers, the Shadows. But what he didn’t understand hadn’t changed. “Why me?”

The first man, a fellow with glasses that Dojhima didn’t like much, pushed them back on his nose with his index and middle fingers. “Well, you see—”

His superior, the man with the eyepatch, interrupted. “We have few options. We rarely can find people with Personas—usually our only chance at detection is as they manifest, and most people manifest in their teens or younger. You manifested late, so we noticed you. Better, your record in the police force is spotless. In spite of your recent tragedy, you have always taken care of those around you—a trait we need in the dorm guardians. Due to the… nature of the situation, normal guardians are not precisely helpful.”

“Very good. But my point is less altruistic—I intend to go on with my career in the police. And I am now the sole guardian of a young child.” The last was said with unmistakable bitterness—glasses-man flinched, and the man with the eyepatch frowned, then his expression softened.

“I understand. My daughter is among those I would ask you to protect.”

Dojhima sucked in a hard breath.

“As to your career concerns… my company has been known to temporarily hire policemen for security purposes before, and to work out the details with their departments to preserve their futures. Your career will be waiting for you when you get back… and your child will have a place alongside you, either at the Dorms or at a nearby apartment. Your choice. I recognize that I am asking a lot of you, and I am willing to offer a lot in exchange. There is a strong chance that you cannot help them in the field—but they will need someone there to help them, if only in managing the details of day to day life that won’t readily accept the realities of this… situation.”

Dojhima considered for a long moment, shut his eyes. Then he opened them again. “Earlier in this conversation you stated that there was another person who had accepted this position. If I accepted, who am I working with?”

The man with the eyepatch smiled.

***

Michael Carpenter was accustomed to the supernatural and the horrific. Pleasant or not, someone had to deal with the forces that preyed on humanity… and he was one of those who stood in that gap.

It was still rather dramatic, when midnight hit and everything changed. Pools of water turned bloody red—men turned to upright coffins, machines froze in place, and the moon hung leering over all. He frowned and stepped off the train, thankful it had opened the doors and reached it’s station, and took a look around.

So this was the midnight hour.

He spent some time debating which was worse, the Midnight Hour or the Nevernever—then shrugged and decided it didn’t matter. What mattered was if people were getting hurt. And they were getting hurt here.

Most of his luggage—the armor—was getting shipped over separately, and hopefully would already be at the dorm when he arrived. Amoracchius, though, he took with him, though he supposed he legally shouldn’t have been able to walk around so freely with a broadsword, even if it was sheathed.

People tended to overlook it. Which was a great gift.

He looked back at the piece of paper he was following for directions—he had been blessed again in that the street layout did not seem to have changed, or at least, the instructions still made sense. He supposed he would find out if the instructions still worked when he arrived. It would work out. It always did.

He did run into one of the ‘shadows’ along the way, a thing that looked like it was half-melted into the floor. When his attempts to communicate failed, he drew Amoracchius and slew it without ceremony, and it simply bled darkness until no form was left. Simple. He didn’t even need the Persona for that. And now it couldn’t prey on anyone.

On the whole, he started to wonder why he was needed here—the feeling was intense and distinct, but why… why was harder.

But, he was a Knight of the Cross. He went where he was needed. He’d find out why eventually. Or not. The job was like that sometimes.

He found the dorm more easily than he had thought, and opened the door to find a fine scene. Nearest him, an auburn hair girl stood with a blue haired boy of about the same age standing in front of her, back to her, fists clenching and unclenching as he looked forward to a girl who stood across the room—pink sweater, and what looked rather like a handgun in hand.

Right. New kids were supposed to arrive today. He shut his eyes, opened them, and looked over to the pink sweatered girl. “Yukari? Lower the evoker. You don’t need it. They aren’t shadows.”

“I—”

The blue haired boy—eyes angry and too hard—looked back at him, and then… shifted. Recognizing him as an ally.

Well. If this was how the next few months started off, if nothing else his time here would be interesting.


	2. Who is this guy?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Micheal Carpenter starts untangling the mess in the dorm, and settles in. The twins both have a slightly different read on the situation, but that cannot be helped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy! No Dojhima this chapter-- given the situation, it made sense to stay at the dorm this time.

“Let me out in front, dear?” The stranger murmured to his sister, while the pink sweatered girl with the gun— _why did she have that_ —stood frozen in place. Makoto kept his eyes there. If she had spoken—if she had relented in her suspicious look, or taken her hand from her weapon… but she _didn’t_.

“But—” **_Ever concerned for strangers, Minato._** The man wasn’t a threat. His whole stance was gentle, tempered strength. He trusted that instinct. So the idiot with the gun was his first concern. Let the man do what he liked.

“It’s alright. Trust me?”

Ridiculous talk, from a stranger. So _of course_ Minako stepped aside and let him come forward. He was a mountain of a man—tall, broad, very fit, with a beard and salt and pepper hair. A foreigner? His accent was terrible, but understandable. But his eyes were calm, in the face of the… time… and the possibly-hostile-definitely-too-slow-to-be-armed girl in front of them. “Son. Let me out in front.”

Was he stupid? Crazy? Why would you stand in front of strangers?

“Son. You’re in a lot less danger than you think. Let me in front. It will be okay.”

Makoto decided, reluctantly, that he liked him. But…

The man was serene, in the face of his hesitation. He just looked back at him. Letting him decide. He felt himself take one step, then another, to one side—letting him in, but keeping himself between his sister and the girl with the gun.

“Thank you.” The man’s voice was warm, like he’d given him a gift—threat or not, Makoto found his eyes darting to him as he walked forward.

Was that a sword in a sheath? What the hell kind of place was this? If it had just been him… he wouldn’t have cared. But for his sister to be in this hot mess—but the man at least, was calm and collected, and… moved between him and the gun.

Who was this guy?

“Yukari. It’s alright.”

“Who are—how do you—”

“I’m one of the new Dorm Chaperones. I imagine they meantioned it? No?” He was patient, in the face of her blank look. “Well, Mitsuro should know who I am. Is she nearby?”

“I am, in fact. Michael Carpenter, I presume?” Another girl, this one older—impeccably dressed and groomed, came down a staircase at the far side of the room. “Calm down, Takeba. Then you two must be Makoto and Minato Yuki. I apologize for the reception.”

The lights came back on. That, more than anything else, seemed to calm Yukari—she blinked, then flushed, shoving her “evoker”… that was what the guy had called it… back into it’s holster.

“Actually, may I borrow that?” Yukari flinched, and the big man—Michael Carpenter—smiled. “It’s alright. I just want to show them that it’s not a gun.” Yukari flinched and stammered, then handed it over—fumbling and clumsy. The man only smiled and thanked her. The older girl, Mitsuro, watched him with slightly narrow eyes. Assessing. If the man noticed, he paid it no mind, taking the weapon from the now clearly embarrassed and confused girl, and turning back to Makoto and his sister. “See? No loading mechanism, no ability to chamber bullets if there were. And it doesn’t fire.” He pulled back the hammer, pointed it at the ground, pulled the trigger—nothing.

“Why the hell carry around a toy gun?”

“Language. But it’s an evoker, it has other uses. It simply isn’t an offensive weapon of itself. Thank you, Yukari.” He handed the “tool” back, and looked back around. Mitsuro had her head slightly tilted to one side, still assessing—then she shut her eyes with a slight smile.

“He’s quite right, of course. My apologies—I did not think any of you would arrive so late. As mentioned, my name is Mitsuro Kirijo—We have rooms ready for all of you. Takeba—can you show the twins to their respective rooms? I will show Mr. Carpenter to his.”

“If we go to my sister’s room _first_.”

“Mako—”

“Min. Just…”

“It’s fine.”

**_No it is not._** Because whatever an evoker was, the idiot’s stance said she had meant to use it to ‘protect’ herself. He glared at his sister, narrow eyed, and was met with equal force.

“This… is my fault. Of course we can go to your sister’s room first.” The Pink Idiot, Yukari, stammered, looking upset.

**_“Good,”_** he growled, and motioned for her to take the lead. So he could watch her.

***

“That boy is not going to forgive the potential threat easily.” Michael said simply, once the three were out of sight and hearing.

He had never met Mitsuro before, but she matched the description… and she clearly understood herself to be in charge of the Dorm and the safety of it’s inhabitants, probably a side effect of actually needing to take charge for so long. He understood that. There were far worse traits to have. And stripping that away from her would have been cruel. Better to work with it. “Yes. I found that surprising—the reports I had never indicated that his sister was passive, nor that he was… well. They all but said he doesn’t care about his own survival.”

Michael frowned. “That might be. But he wasn’t acting for his survival. He was acting for hers. And she was hanging back because of that.”

She stopped on the stairs, looking back to him sharply, then down. Reassessing what she had seen. “That…”

“People behave differently in groups than they do as individuals. She clearly doesn’t have issues deciding differently than he does—he wasn’t exactly happy that she let me through, even if he didn’t really mind my presence. But if protecting her is one of the things that keeps him animated—”

“Then even a highly independent individual might allow it, if just to see their sibling less despondent. Alright. I can buy that.” The Kirijo heir looked back at him for a long moment, reassessing—he got that look a lot, but not usually from highschoolers. Then something in her shoulders relaxed, a little, if not in her eyes—assured of his competence, if not in her ability to trust him. That could wait. He hadn’t been there a full hour, after all. “Did they fail to offer you an evoker of your own? I was told you have a persona—”

“Yes, I have a persona, but no, I do not require an evoker.”

That did not make sense to her—true, he only saw her from the back as she led him up the stairs, but she almost paused, and she did cock her head, ever so slightly. Only about five degrees. “Sir?”

“I do not require an evoker to summon and utilize my persona. I was actually surprised by the use of such— devices. Since I can summon without, carrying one is a needless complication.” Amoracchius, on the other hand, was crucial.

She glanced back at him, warily. “Perhaps you could demonstrate next Dark Hour?”

“If you like.” He certainly wasn’t here to sit on his hands.

“Then… I will look forward to that.” Hesitation, uncertainty, doubt, and the hint of cautious respect. Well. This was probably a difficult transition for her. “These doors lead to the command center—your rooms are attached to it. Pick whichever one you prefer, and we’ll give the choice of what is left to our other chaperone, when he arrives in two days.”

“He has a daughter with him, doesn’t he?”

She frowned. “Yes. I suppose here is as safe as any other location, but—”

“You dislike the idea of having one who cannot protect themselves here. Commendable.” It was. She deserved the compliment. But also—he wanted to see how she would react to the compliment. He wasn’t overly surprised when she turned pink and looked off to one side, but he was… tired. Children should feel secure enough to take a compliment as such. “Thank you. I think I can manage from here.”

“Your luggage is on one of the couches. I’ll introduce you to everyone later today, after we get back from school.”

“I will look forward to it,” Michael said, meaning each syllable, and walked into the command room.

***

Minato was unpacking her bag—there wasn’t much, but she liked to be set up for the next day, and part of that was being unpacked—when her phone buzzed. As anticipated. She flipped it open, and was unsurprised to find a text from her brother.

_Did you lock your door?_

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. _I did. I knew you would ask, after all. What’s your read on the big dude?_

_We get confronted by a clearly unstable girl in our new dorm, and your first question is about the sane guy?_

_He didn’t act like she was crazy. He acted like he knew what was up, and while it was regrettable, it wasn’t surprising. She was active during… that time, and so was he—maybe they were concerned about those things we sometimes see?_

_… interesting point._

_Didn’t tell me your read?_

_I… like him. But he may be crazier than she is. He didn’t even hesitate—that girl didn’t know him any more than she did us, weapon or no, when that mindset gets cornered, things happen._

_Or maybe he just cares about people._

_You are such a bleeding heart, sis. Goodnight._

“Goodnight.” She said to the empty air, and flopped back on her bed. It only occurred to her later, half asleep, that she hadn’t asked if he had seen the boy too—the one in the prison stripes, with the too-blue eyes. She hadn’t heard him speak to him…but the boy hadn’t asked for speech. Just a signed name.

What a strange place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! Micheal can be a heard guy to write sometimes, but always well worth it.


	3. Ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto and Minato enjoy their first day at school. Well, Minato enjoys it. Makoto endures it. Micheal Carpenter gets a tour and starts thinking tactics. Dojhima packs his family and avoids explaining things.

Makoto hated mornings.

Of course Min managed to thrive on five hours of sleep, consistently, like some kind of mutant. Makoto was awake, mostly, and asking more of him than that was unreasonable. Of course, the Pink Idiot, Yukari, had been voluntold to show them to the school, and was chattering happily with his sister about the view from the monorail and the artificial island and the school as if her pulling a not-gun on them last night had never happened and they shouldn’t be worried about it. He’d have preferred just about anyone else as their guide, up to and including total strangers, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, and he was very aware that their education was being sponsored by the Kirijo Corporation.

So. No picking fights on the first day. Maybe the second. He drank his cold coffee from the shitty vending machine in their new dorm and tried not to be too irritated that the flavoring didn’t cover the taste of tin or the condensation leaking over his knuckles.

The resolution was harder to stick to in the auditorium when he heard people whispering about his sister and himself, but he stuck his hands farther in his pockets and contented himself with flaying a few idiots with his glare. They weren’t expecting that, for some reason—and their flinches and surprise were rather satisfying.

The Ballcap Idiot, Junpei, was not so easily put off, and alright, that was frustrating, but Min managed to paint the whole encounter as positive. Maybe it was, even—the Ballcap Idiot seemed sincere enough in his desire to help the new kids.

That Makoto would prefer to be left alone was, presumably, a bit of a nonissue, but then, he was used to it. At least Min was enjoying herself. Last night had been strange, and the encounter with the boy with the too-bright eyes was still weighing on his mind when the ongoing encounters with the Pink Idiot weren’t getting on his nerves. He had asked her about him, but when he did, she had responded as if he was speaking of a ghost.

Ghosts weren’t real. The dead stayed dead. So he didn’t know what in the hell she was playing at.

***

“And that’s the door to the roof, which ends the tour,” Mitsuro said, watching the new chaperone—Mr. Carpenter. His Japanese was badly accented, but well understood—he had no difficulty maintaining conversation even with abrupt subject changes, and his word choice indicated that his vocabulary was more than rudimentary, even though this wasn’t his first language.

Good. She could admire competence even if it wasn’t necessary—she and Akihiko both spoke English well, of course. They had been prepared to serve as translators if the only adults they could find had been unable to speak their language.

In her private thoughts, she considered it a very bad sign that there were so few adult persona users.

“May I go up onto the roof?”  
“I… I suppose, but it’s hardly interesting—”

“It seems tactically relevant,” Mr. Carpenter said, walking outside—turning around to observe the view. “Only one building tall enough to see the rooftop?”

“Ah—yes, sir. But it’s just a parking garage for the community.”

“Not perfect. But not close enough that anyone could jump from it to here, though shadows have unique abilities… and some can fly. Not terrible.”

She blinked. “You anticipate them coming here, sir?”

“Anticipate? No. Would rather be prepared in case of such an event? Yes.” The big man—and he was bigger, somehow, in daylight, when she had expected the reverse—peered over the ledge without apparent distress, then looked up, tracing the nearby building with his eyes.

“Please be careful, sir.”

He smiled at her, and nodded, but looked out over the ledge again before stepping back. “Is the rooftop used for anything?”

“No sir. Apart from maintaining the building. Why?”

“It has the space for sword and persona practice in a relatively safe environment. We might have to direct persona offensive abilities elsewhere, but if we put up a trellis on that side and over there, we could practice up here even during the day. That could be helpful.”

She blinked, slowly, and started to walk the places indicated. “It would be pleasant to feel the breeze during practice. And I admit the notion of having a private training ground is interesting. Though—I have to ask—did you say sword practice? My primary weapons training is with a rapier.”

Mr. Carpenter—and wasn’t that an occupation in English, not a last name? Perhaps it was fake… Mr. Carpenter nodded. “My primary weapon, above and before my persona, is a broadsword. But the man who taught me uses a katana. The man who he trained after me uses a cavalry saber. The basic principals are the same. I did some fencing to stay in form a few years ago.”

“Primary weapon?”

“I’m afraid Shadows aren’t the most exciting thing I fight.” Mr. Carpenter said, with a soft smile. “You want a demonstration of summoning with no evoker tonight, yes? We could do it up here.”

“Sir!” Mitsuro said, considering the implications. A training ground—they could give new members basic training without the risks of Shadows—if they had more timid fighters who struggled with their weapons or Evokers… that could keep their people safe. If they could learn to summon without an Evoker… more so. Yukari struggled with that, although she tried to hide it. On the whole, she sympathized.

Then another thought occurred. “Sir… what do you mean Shadows aren’t the most exciting thing you fight?”

Mr. Carpenter only smiled.

***

“Nanako, are you all packed?”

“Almost, Dad!” Nanako poked her head back into the living room. “Daddy… why do we have to go?”

Dojhima paused.

This place was haunted. Not by a ghost, but by a memory—every morning when he woke up, he reached across his empty bed for the wife who wasn’t there—when he got home he opened his mouth to ask her how her day was. And she still wasn’t there.

Nanako had been so brave, through this. He didn’t know how to explain that to her. So he didn’t try. “It’s not forever, Nanako. Think of it like a long visit. When we get back, all of our stuff will still be here—all of your friends will still be here, and things will go back—” not to the way they were. They couldn’t do that. “to the way they are now. Okay?”  
“Okay.” Nanako sounded dubious, but she agreed, and went back into her room to finish packing.

Every day she looked more like her mother. That hadn't hurt when her mother had been alive. 


	4. Michael's Persona

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael gets to know his students a little more, starting with Akihiko. The unofficial second in command is wary, of course, but willing to learn. And he summons his persona for the them, as promised.

Michael found there was a lot to do. First, the files on the students to review, the room off the command center to set up—not that he had a lot, he usually travelled light, but he would be here for a while. A full year. Not continuously, but even so.

He decided not to linger too long in the command room. He found the surveillance equipment vaguely disquieting… but if there was to be monsters wandering about at night, he supposed it was warranted. He had decided to take the smallest room--presumably the two larger bedrooms would be ideal for his coworker and the child he was likely to be bringing with him. He did get a phone call updating his timetable—the two should be there tomorrow, along with the Chairman. He hadn’t met that gentleman yet, but he was presumably the one who had been in charge of the children so far.

Mitsuro’s tour had been helpful, both for finding his way around and for more… strategic analysis. Few windows, not too many doors, on the ground floor at least. Tactically, he approved. On a more mundane level, he rather hoped most of the children spent more time outdoors—they should have more sunlight than this.

He cleaned up the kitchen. It was a little bit of a mess, but not bad, for a building with only children living in it. He was midway through drying the dishes when he heard a sound behind him and turned—saw one of the children behind him, shoulders tense and eyes wary. “Who are you?” The pale haired boy said—his voice low and threatening.

Akihiko, the informal second in command—the boxer. “Apologies—I’m Michael. One of the new Dorm Chaperones. I arrived late last night—I guess Mitsuro didn’t tell you I did?”

Comprehension and then amused apology flashed through the boy’s eyes—he rubbed the back of his head and then offered his hand to shake. “First day of school—she has a lot on her plate and we didn’t actually have any time to talk just yet. Sorry. I’m Akihiko. Ah… do you need a hand with that?”

“A pleasure to meet you. And… no, but if you want to join in while we talk, I wouldn’t mind?” Akihiko laughed and pulled an extra towel from a drawer—so _that’s_ where the extras were kept—and started in on the drying.

He was a little shy at first—to be expected, Michael was, for most intents and purposes, a usurper. He was an authority figure where they had run themselves for so long, how could he not be? But the child was practical—the notion of having someone around who was older than them, and who had grown older than them _fighting_ , made his eyes flash with interest.

Someone more interested in surviving than in glory, then. Which would make things easier, but… not a normal mindset. Not for a boy of his age. How long had they been on their own? And against what odds? The boy spoke readily enough of the nightscape. Evidently the monsters weren’t overly thick on the grounds outside the tower—it was within the tower itself that they grew to be a problem.

“We tried scouting out the first few floors once or twice, but when Shinji left… we don’t have the manpower, with just me, Mitsuro, and Yukari… and Yukari is… not aggressive enough.”

Odd tone to take on. Perhaps it was a lack of aggression, or perhaps it was a problem with her persona. “Not everyone has quite the…mindset to jump in right away.”

“Yeah, I’ll say. No… that’s not fair. I’m just grumpy because I want to do more hunting.”

“I promised to show Mitsuro my method of summoning. Perhaps after I do that you can show me some of the city?”

Akihiko grinned. “That… sounds great, actually. Wait… what do you mean your method of summoning? Do you hold your evoker differently?”  
Michael laughed. “Not exactly. I’ll show you as well, if you like.”

“That would be awesome.” Akihiko seemed… vaugely amused but willing to be patient. Good. “What weapons do you use?”

“Broadsword, usually.”

“Drat. I was hoping you might be a boxer—or better yet, a fencer. Mitsuro won’t say anything, but I know it frustrates her not to be able to practice more often.”

Michael raised his eyebrows. “I said usually.”

***

Nanako loved trips. Always. She loved looking out the window and watching the scenery change, and snacking quietly as they drove.

Dojhima used to like trips. He caught himself smiling as they drove, and reached out a hand to set in his wife’s, and ended up griping the armrest of the passenger seat.

“Daddy? You stopped smiling.”

He forced it. “It’s fine, Nanako. Just thinking.”

“Think about something that makes you happy!”

He laughed, but it ached. “I’ll try.”

***

Minato was, if nothing else, entertained.

There was so much new to learn, and pay attention to! And yes, yesterday had been alarming… but kind of exciting too. It was good to see her brother out of his more common state of passive indifference.

At least sustained suspicion took energy.

Yukari was… clearly at least as rattled as they were. She’d probably be more suspicious of her, but Mak was already doing that, so no need.

Still, it was weird, how everyone urged them to go to bed as soon as they got back. She knew Mak saw it too, because he raised an eyebrow, but he only tapped his phone and vanished into his room.

Right. Cell phones, the salvation of the modern age.

She only wished they worked during the secret hour.

_Think that’s why they’re getting us into our rooms nice and early?_

_…. Maybe. Unlikely. Have we ever met anyone else who was aware of the Hour?_

_No. But that doesn’t mean no one would be._

_A whole Dorm of people who know what we have been trying to deal with all our lives, and never once met another who knew what was happening? I doubt it._

“Not all our lives,” she hissed at the phone, but… but it hurt to think about Before, so she didn’t. So he didn’t. _Whatever, but… new city, new possibilities. Wanna go exploring sometime? If they don’t know about the Hour, no one can stop us._

_And draw the attention of the… things? Are you crazy?_

_No_ —She started to type back, but the hour started, and the phone went dead in her hands. 

***

As the dark hour started, Mitsuro… oddly, seemed to relax a little. Perhaps because the twins, the only helpless members of the Dorm, were safe inside, presumably asleep. Whatever the reason, after her shoulders relaxed, she turned to “Sir—are you still willing to demonstrate—”

Michael smiled. “Gladly—perhaps on the roof?”

“Oh, yes, that would work very well.” As they walked up the stairs, Mitsuro turned her focus to Akihiko. “He summons without an evoker.”

“Wait, really? How?”

Michael half laughed, embarrassed. “I’ve never used an evoker.”

“Never?”

“Never. Truth be told, the implements disturb me. Possibly because a dear friend of mine always keeps his revolver on him and I could see him getting dragged into these things quite easily—I live in Chicago, after all.”

They looked at him blankly. He managed a smile. “There is… an unfortunate amount of violence in that city. Though if my friend was to be believed, quite a bit of it isn’t natural anyway.”

“Isn’t… natural?”

“Shadows are not the only evil in the world,” he said, opening the roof door, and striding out. The night was… not quiet, precisely. Hushed. “That is why I have the Sword. And it is why I am here.”

Akihiko paused, following him—he heard the stutter in his stride. “You do have a sword. How? You can’t just… walk around with that? And why didn’t I see it? Did you have it on earlier? I assumed you meant… just during the Dark Hour.”

“No. I usually have it on me. But don’t worry too much—people tend to forget it. I didn’t encounter the Dark Hour specifically until my arrival.” He patted the boy on the back, smiling. The night out here was wrong, now that the dark hour had fallen, the buildings warped and twisted and risen and fallen to strange forms. Most of all the School, which had become the Tower.

That place… all that he was distrusted it in this state. And… more than a little that was not him too. It was not fear—the messages he was given were not for fear, and fear had no place in them.

But the moon was beautiful.

He looked up and smiled.

***

Akihiko frowned, looking between the swordsman and Mitsuro, and… Alright, Mitsuro had to admit, their new Guardian’s ability to just… not be noticed sometimes was… disconcerting. Because… well, they did notice them. After years of facing the dark hour alone, they were accustomed to taking in possible threats at a glance.

But it was easy to overlook to sword. Like it just faded into the background when he wasn’t actively using it or drawing attention to it. She offered her comrade a shrug, which made him suppress laughter, she had to admit it was… not a gesture she favored, and transferred her attention back to Mr. Carpenter.

“Should we give you some space?” she asked instead of the other questions in her head because… well. How would she even ask?

Perhaps they were just tired, and the sword would be more noticeable if they ever got enough sleep.

“Not at all. We wouldn’t have more space than this in combat… if we were extraordinarily lucky. This is about the ideal distance—not cramped, but close enough to offer aid.” He rolled his shoulders, raised his face to the sky and murmured… she couldn’t quite make it out. A prayer, perhaps. And then… not the commanding howl she first called forth her persona with. Not a scream or a battle cry. Michael Carpenter summoned his persona in the same calm, level tones you would use to summon the attention of a friend, sitting across a table from you. “Gabriel.”

There was no pause or hesitation—the persona rose up before him, shining, metallic, wings spreading wide with each feather sending out the trill of a fine blade being sharpened as it shifted against other shining, silver feathers. The face was masked—featureless and warlike, a mask meant to protect, bearing little more than holes for eyes and mouth, an indent for the nose. The persona held a sword, blazing with light, not unlike Michael’s—though his was surely reflected moonlight.

When had he drawn it anyway?

No, it didn’t matter, not now. She recognized the mythos that had birthed him, vaugely… but she had never expected an angel to look… terrible. Not bad. Like it could _be_ a terror, _inspire_ terror. Like it was meant for war. The armor wasn’t the heavy kind that could stop anything, it was silver, matching it’s wings and mask, though all else—the long hair, the robes under the armor- was white. And it’s eyes….

She shivered, a little, and caught herself, surprised. Mr. Carpenter smiled at her, apologetic. “It’s not as bad as it is for the real thing, of course, but he can be… intense.”

“The real thing?” she asked, but at that moment, a little yelp sounded behind her and they turned to see Yukari behind them, staring wide eyed with her hands over her mouth. Mr. Carpenter was the first to react.

“I’m sorry. I should have remembered to ask if you wanted to see as well—I must be more tired than I thought. Please forgive me.”

“I… it’s forgiven,” Yukari whispered, likely because she was too stunned to do otherwise. “He’s your persona? But… How? You aren’t holding an evoker!”

Michael laughed, but it was a gentle noise. Almost like he was laughing at himself in some way. “Indeed I am not. Let me show you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave any and all comments you can think of in the designated space below. I desperately want to know how these ones come off, and what you thought of these developments. 
> 
> May you always have a light with you in the dark.

**Author's Note:**

> Any comments, questions, and concerns are helpful! I'm aware I'm substituting bits of lore I don't like for stuff I do.... hope you like it?


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